Facts

Detroit recently filed for bankruptcy. Its abandoned buildings symbolize the deterioration of a great city, but also serve as reminders of a time when American cars were unchallenged kings of the road and Motown music dominated the radio.

"Detroit is coming back," Wilson said in a telephone interview last week. "There are a lot of people putting a lot of effort into bringing it back."

Wilson, a founding member of the Primettes – the precursor to singing group superstars the Supremes – will perform at UNCW's Kenan Auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 19.

The Supremes catapulted to fame under the guidance of Motown legend Berry Gordy. They traveled the country, singing hits such as "Baby Love," "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "Where Did Our Love Go." The Supremes recorded more No. 1 singles than any other American vocal group. Diana Ross became the breakout star of the group, singing lead vocals while Wilson and Florence Ballard or Cindy Birdsong sang harmony.

But even as she viewed the world from its largest stages, Wilson wasn't isolated from racism or sexism. She performed at gigs where the audience was half-white and half-black, with the whites on one side of the aisle and the blacks on the other.

"I started singing at a time when things were a lot different from now," Wilson said. "Afro-Americans were still trying to gain equality."

And a female singing group faced plenty of challenges.

"We were women at a time when it was a man's world," Wilson said.

But being a woman in America in the 1960s doesn't compare to being a woman in some Middle Eastern countries, even today.

"Just because it's the 21st century doesn't mean that all things are fair. Every century, things get better," Wilson said. "But I still travel the world and go to countries where women have no rights."

Since the Supremes disbanded in 1977, Wilson has continued to perform. Sometimes she'll evoke Motown memories with renditions of the songs she sang on her rise to fame. At small venues, Wilson sometimes delivers a more intimate jazz set, which suits her voice well. Wilson understands that she doesn't sing the Supremes' hits exactly like Ross did.

"Everybody doesn't have a great voice like Aretha (Franklin) or Barbra (Streisand)," Wilson said. "I'm not a great singer, but I am definitely a great performer."

And Wilson is more than a performer. She's been an ambassador for the U.S. State Department, a leader in the fight to protect the authenticity of musical acts, and an inspiration for generations of fans.

"I receive loads of letters and emails from people saying the Supremes' music has inspired them throughout their lives," Wilson said.

She's also reaching a younger generation.

"I usually connect with the students," she said. "When I'm at a high school, you can see that the guys are like, 'When can I get out of here?' But at the end, many of them come up and ask for autographs."

The original Motown fans have grayed, but they still like to reminisce about the Supremes' heyday. So Wilson often faces the inevitable question: When will the Supremes reunite for a tour?

A reunion tour that did not include Wilson was aborted halfway through in 2000, and the Supremes haven't toured together since.

Despite some friction over the years, she said that she and Ross are still friends.

"We're family. In a family, you fall out sometimes. There's still love there. We're more than friends."